Is it possible my dog could work as a guardian dog?

I haven't gotten my chickens yet, but the only place I feel I can put my coop in within my dogs under-ground electric fencing is. Now, that's fine if I have to put a run around the coop, I suppose, but I was thinking that my dog is likely to keep predators at bay when he's outside, and I would like my chickens to be able to roam free... Excepting the fence separating the property from the highway.

And let's face it, hardware cloth is expensive.

To give some insight on my dog, he's a pitbull/boxer/great dane mix (if you had a negative reaction at "pitbull" please 1. leave this post and 2. die in a fire) who has been raised around small animals. I let my pet rats freely roam the house for awhile where I was between cages with no issues, they used to pick on him! My boyfriends dog ended up killing one (it was in a cage, the dog jumped at the cage and it had a heart attack) and the whole time, he was trying to protect the rat. His dog is currently no longer with us, though he really was sweet despite his dislike for my lovable rodents. I also have a dove in a large cage that is on the floor of the room he resides when he needs to be out of the way or is left home alone.

The chickens will be in the coop itself during the night and that will be built extra securely, and while my dog will not be out there all the time, I feel it would be a good way to let my chickens freerange since it's the largest open area on the property.

But, I am open to suggestions and personal insights.

 

Thank you for the opinions thus far. And yes, I apologize for the extreme statement... Comes pretty naturally after hearing so many negative remarks against pitbulls, I suppose. That doesn't excuse me saying such a thing. This is not the right place for such comments. My bad.

I plan on having Walter be there throughout the brooding process of my first chicks, and then from thereon having him be around them often. I do think that he grows a tight bond with animals that are raised around him as much as animals he was raised around. I'm very careful to introduce him carefully and slowly, and with a close eye. Teaching him manners is easy.